WPI alum donates $40M, university's largest gift ever

WORCESTER — Worcester Polytechnic Institute announced Wednesday it is receiving the largest gift in its 149-year history.

Robert Foisie, a 1956 WPI graduate, is giving $40 million to provide scholarships.

According to the university, Mr. Foisie, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was already WPI's largest single donor and has provided scholarships to around 580 students. With the new $40 million commitment, Mr. Foisie's total giving will surpass $63 million, according to WPI.

The gift will support the university's $200 million "The Campaign to Advance WPI" fundraising push. The university said it is working to ensure that 37.5 percent of the revenues, or about $75 million, will directly benefit students through scholarships and financial aid.

Born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, Mr. Foisie was the first member of his family to attend college when he enrolled at WPI in 1952, and worked as a truck driver and clerk to save money during school, according to the university. He also received scholarships during his time at WPI. A mechanical engineer, Mr. Foisie, went on to receive his master's degree from Cornell University.

Mr. Foisie is founder and former president of Matik North America Inc. in West Hartford, an import, distribution, and service firm specializing in paper processing machinery. He also owned a Swiss company that makes carton and packaging machinery, and his interests span telecommunications and real estate, according to the university.

He began his career as an engineer at Hamilton Standard Co., and was later chief production engineer at Pratt & Whitney in Hartford. As a young engineer, he patented a way to simplify the design of a fuel control valve for jet aircraft, according to WPI.

The school announced it will give Mr. Foisie an honorary doctorate of engineering at Saturday's commencement, and will also name the WPI School of Business and a new innovation center in honor of Mr. Foisie's giving. At 4:30 p.m. Thursday the university will unveil the new name for the innovation center outside of Alumni Gymnasium.